Has anyone else NOTICED that there are 700 or so people being held hostage in a Moscow theater? By a bunch of Chechnyan Muslims? Not related to the Al Queda, I'm sure:

The Arab satellite TV station al-Jazeera broadcast a tape on Thursday of what it said was one of the rebels stating that they were "ready to sacrifice for God and the independence of Chechnya".

Al-Jazeera - remember them? The ones who always broadcast the videos of the Al Queda? Oh, but THIS would never happen in the US. They'd never try to take a theater full of people hostage.

[No, of course not.]

And while this terrible scenario, that is not likely to end in anything good, is being played out in some "other country", we here on the East Coast are being treated to mind-numbing 24 hour-a-day coverage of the Sniper story which, while important, is not EVERYTHING in the world. No wonder other countries accuse us of being self-centered.

[Now if there were more than just three Americans in the theatre, THAT would be news.]

The FBI has issued a warning that the Al Queda may be targeting U.S. passenger trains for terrorist activities. No kidding. But let's not DO ANYTHING to deter them. No baggage scanning at train terminals. No armed guards watching the trains in the railroad yards at night. No one making sure that someone doesn't "accidently" forget their luggage on the train when they get off in Newark, before the train goes into the tunnel under the river on its way to New York . . .

It freaks me out every time I have to go up to New York now. I don't want to have thoughts like this, but if it has occurred to me, well, maybe we should do something FIRST.

Something more fun. According to experts from the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Antibacterial soaps are a waste of time.

[Germs, smerms.]

~ ~ ~

Quote du jour:

"Wash four distinct and separate times, using lots of lather each time from individual bars of soap."